The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-12-09

easily have succeeded. But now, In the
absence of some telegraphic message-and
no report was made to that office, while
Andrews hardly thought il prudent to tel
egraph for instructionsl-it would be mad
ness to- run out between the two sections
Of n belated train. 1t was better to wait
even il that entailed the risk of fight
For this possibility Andrews made ready:
he said to Knight;
go back and tell the boys, without
attracting attention, that we have to wait
for atran that is behind time, and for
them la he ready TO jump ut the signal, il
needed, and fight"
Knight sauntered carelessly along down
the train, just as If he was tired to death
with waiting and did not know what to
do with himself; and leaning against orr
car, without turning his head or eyes
toward us, said in II low toue which we
heard perfectly:
boys, we have Ia wait for train that
is q little behind time, and the folks
around are getting mighty uneasy and
suspicious. BE ready TO jump out, if you
are called and let them have it hot and
fast"
We did not know how many of the
uneasy folks there might be about;
and so vulnerable had become the sus-
pense Of being shut up in that dark car,
and hearing the sound Of voices outside,
without being able TO distinguish the
words or know what was going on, that a
command to spring ont and begin deadly
strife would have been welcomed rs n
relief, without much regard to numbers.
We said we were ready; we had been
ready mt any time the last hour! Still we
carefully examined the printing of every
hat a;
ton was in pockets within easy reach.
We did not intend il it came to a fight,
to shoot at long range, but to close right
in, where every shot would be deadly.
That we could, with the surprise of All
unexpected assault, and firing each time
to kill, have cleared the station of four
times our number, have never doubted
Could any situation be imagined by poet
or novelist more trying than that of this
carload of Union soldiers shut up in the
midst of Confederate trains!
But we were not called upon to quiet
the "uneasiness" outside, which was fully
as great rs Knight had described, in any
such summary manner Andrews played
his part with surprising skill The people
around, and especially the old switch ten
der, began to grumble something about
being sure that all was not right. A good
many questions were asked as to why
Fuller, with the regular train, was not
along by this time, and why the superin-
tendent of the road at Atlanta had not
sent notice of the powder train. Andrews
answered each suggested question very
briefly and plausibly, but without appear
ing ut all anxious about their opinion;
grumbled little about the bad manage
ment Of a road that would allow its track
to be blocked at q time like this, and gave
accounts of himself in the camp of Beaure-
gard with an air so confident and truthful
that no one ventured to question him. l
think there was only one thing, aside
from the dangerous delay, which he really
dreaded. He kept very near the tele-
graph office, and, without seeming to do
so, closely watched the operator. The at
tempt to telegraph any kind of a message
up the line would have probably brought
on an immediate collision.
Brown relates q curious little episode as
occurring here. He noticed man who
watched Andrews for short time, and
then, when no one else was near, stepped
close to him and handed him large and
seemingly well filled envelope. Andrews
smiled and placed it in his vest pocket
Brown intended to ask about it, but more
Probably this was an incident of Andrews
contraband trade and the package con-
tanned an order for goods, with the money
to pay for them.
Fuller and his party were now not many
miles away, and were making more rapid
time toward us than had ever been made
on that road before. But we knew moth
ing Of that-supposed that we were still
an hour ahead of any pursuit that could
be imagined. We had been at this place
one hour and five minutes! 1t seemed to
those shut up in the box car nearer half a
day and when the whistle of q train was
heard, which fortunately for us was first
from the north-not the pursuing train
from the south-it was about as welcome
as tho boom Of Mitchel's cannon, with
which we expected to be greeted in the
evening when our work was done. This
last extra came up to the platform as the
others had done, and was at once ordered
by Andrews to draw on down the road
that we might have room to 60 out The
conductor obeyed without hesitation, and
this obstruction was removed.
1t only remained to adjust the switch so
that we might again get on the main
track This Andrews directed the old
switch tender to do but he had been
the whole of the last hour; he had hung
up his keys, and now roughly declared
that he would not take them down again
until Andrews showed him by what au-
thority he was ordering everybody about
as If he owned the whole roadl We who
were shut up in the box car heard the
loud and angry voice, and supposed that
the time for us to act had come; yet we
waited for our leaders, command as we
remembered how he had counseled us
against being too precipitate. But he
only laughed softly as if the anger of the
old man amused him, and saying, II
have no more time to waste with you, "he
walked into the station, to the place
where he had seen the keys put up, and
taking them down, went quietly and
swiftly out and made the change himself.
The tenders wrath knew no bounds at
this; he stormed, declared he would have
Andrews arrested, would report him, and
many other things. Andrews then waved
his hand to the engineer, and as our loco
motive came promptly up he stepped on
board, and we glided out Oh the maih
track and were Off
II had been n fearful ordeal, but it was